View of on-going construction at Grand Park in the distance from the Caltrans Building

Later this summer, Downtown Los Angeles will welcome it’s newest – and grandest – park yet with the opening of Grand Park. The 12-acre park will stretch for four blocks from Grand Ave. (adjacent to the Music Center) to Spring St. (City Hall). In a recent L.A.Times article on Grand Park, County Supervisor Gloria Molina revealed that the park will play host to a variety of events, including concerts, farmers markets, readings and festivals. According to the Times, events will be coordinated by the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County, which also oversees the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson Theatre and Mark Taper Forum.

With plenty of fun and interesting events, a restored Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain, gardens, groves, and even a dog run to look forward to, Grand Park promises to be a civic destination for downtown residents and visitors alike. Bicycle access to Grand Park will be very convenient thanks to the growing downtown L.A. bicycle network and the Metro Red/Purple Line Civic Center Station. Bike lanes on 1st St. and Spring St. will provide direct access to Grand Park, while complimentary facilities on Main St. and Los Angeles St. will provide a dedicated route for bicyclists coming from Union Station and the rest of downtown L.A. In the map below, bike lanes are shown in red, and arrows show if the lanes continue off the map (for example, both the Spring St. and Main St. bike lanes will continue to Cesar Chavez).

Since bicycling to Grand Park will be a piece of cake, what will the bicycle parking situation be like? The County of Los Angeles has graciously provided us with bicycle parking locations at Grand Park. There will be 12 bicycle racks spread throughout the park. Each rack will accommodate up to three bicycles for a total of 36 bicycle parking spaces. Grand Park is expected to open early summer 2012.